A really rare sight: an A-10 Thunderbolt II in full special livery.
Although throughout its career it has sported some different camouflage schemes (including the spotted one, worn by the aircraft of the 57th Tactical Training Wing for ex. JAWS in 1978 or the test camo one of the 349th Wing AFRES in 1995), the U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II has rarely been painted with celebrative liveries: indeed, shark, snake or warthog’s mouths aside, the “Hawg” has been limited in terms of special liveries.
Some examples of “non-standard markings” are the D-Day Invasion stripes, applied to an A-10A of the 45th FS in 1994 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the D-Day or the special scheme applied in 2003 to the A-10A “Black Lightning” of the 118th FS/103rd FW of the Connecticut Air National Guard (a paint job applied on the standard two-tone grey camouflage that commemorated the 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron P-51 Mustang in WWII).
However, on Aug. 3, 2013 a full special color was finally unveiled at Air National Guard Paint Facility in Sioux City, Iowa, in the form of an A-10C Thunderbolt II assigned to the 127th Wing, Michigan Air National Guard, from Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
The aircraft is painted with a special livery in order to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Red Devils of the 107th Fighter Squadron. The paint job is inspired to the P-51 (F-6A) of the 107th TRS, that flew the Mustang over Normandy during WWII.
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Cool, isn’t it?
BTW if you remember other A-10s in full special colors please leave a comment or send us an email!
U.S. Air National Guard Photo by: Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot 185th ARW PA/Released
